This Lesser Black-backed Gull was ringed as an adult at Quinta de Marim, Olhão, Portugal in November 2014 and was first found on the shore at Whiteabbey in October 2015, returning to almost exactly the same spot today. The bird has a plastic ring number F461 and a metal ring LV6751 Thanks to Gareth Platt for the information and the picture.

The Whooper Swan was again on the River Lagan, close to Hilden Brewery (Angus Kennedy)

The Black Tern was still at RSPB WOW at lunchtime. (James McQueen and Gerald Sillery)

The Spotted Redshank was still at Ballycarry (Cameron Moore)

No sign of the Osprey at the Roe Estuary. A Kingfisher was seen on the River Roe at Swann's Bridge and a Peregrine seen hunting (Chris Rankin)

Thanks to James McQueen for the Black Tern pic, Angus Kennnedy for the Whooper Swan and Cameron Moore for the Spotted Redshank. You can see more local bird pics at: http://nibirdpics.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

Roseate Terns are annual at RSPB WOW Belfast and one of two recent adults was seen again today. This reserve offers an excellent opportunity to see this species close up. The following photographs from Stephen Maxwell are of the two birds seen this week. One has a much shorter tail and one leg ring, whilst the other has two leg rings and a much longer tail. It is possible that other birds, including juveniles will also turn up here over the next few weeks.

Twelve Little Egret were west of the Downshire Bridge, Dundrum inner bay and one just east of the bridge around 10 o'clock this morning. (Dougie Gamble).

A juvenile Whinchat was on Rathlin. A family party of Choughs and two Sparrowhawks were also seen
on the South Arm. At Ballycastle a sub adult Little Gull was feeding at the outlet at Marconi's.
(Colin Guy).

An Osprey was at lower Lough Macnean in Co. Fermanagh this morning. (A Brady).

A Little Egret was at Hay Island in Lower Lough Erne this afternoon. (Andrew Gallagher).

Thanks to Tony Donaldson for the picture of the Osprey, to David Hunter for the picture of the Buzzards, to Linda Thompson for the pictures of the wing tagged Buzzard taken at Kilroot and for the picture of the Razorbill and to Dougie Gamble for the picture of the Little Egret:

Tony Donaldson - Osprey

David Hunter - Buzzards

Linda Thompson - Buzzard with a yellow tag on the right wing and a white tag on the left.

An adult and a juvenile Arctic Skua were at St John’s Point, 8.30am. Eight Willow Warblers at 9.15am moved quickly from the cattle grid up the road towards Kelly’s Wood. Also 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Stonechat, 1 Whitethroat and 1 Reed Bunting (Chris Murphy).

3 Greenshank were at Macedon Point this morning.
(Julian Greenwood & George Henderson).

A Little Egret was at Knockninny Marina on Upper Lough Erne at 18.15 yesterday. (Colin Gates).

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen this afternoon at Blackwood Golf Club in Bangor.
(Colin Cardy).

Belfast Lough RSPB WOW reserve this afternoon had 8 Ruff, 4 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 adult Roseate Terns, one with a ring on the right leg and the other with rings on both legs, 45 Bar-tailed Godwits, some still in summer plumage and 2 adult Sandwich Terns. The juvenile Black Tern was seen in the evening. (Tom Ennis/Stephen Maxwell).

At least one of the two KIllough Ospreys was still present this morning. Also two Kingfishers and the Black Swan. Two thousand Manx Shearwaters and large numbers of other seabirds were feeding close in shore off St John’s Point this morning, Hundreds of Swallows were going through also. Yesterday evening three White Wagtails and a Merlin were in Killough Harbour (Chris Murphy)

The juvenile Black Tern, 8 Curlew Sands and 7 Ruff were still at the Belfast RSPB WOW reserve at 7am. (Garry Armstrong) Well worth keeping an eye open for Little Stints over the next week, a few are starting to appear south of the border

A Garden Warbler was in scrub on the edge of the river Bann beside Portstewart golf club (John Clarke)Our sincere thanks to everyone who takes time out to contribute to the blog, without all of you then the blog would not be possible.

The Osprey is still in the Strand Lough area, seen from Killough Bridge this afternoon being harassed by a couple of Rooks. (Peter & Dougie Gamble).

There were 41 Little Egrets and 16 Grey Herons at Murlough this afternoon. They were in the field on the right beyond the NT holiday let at the Keel Point entrance.
(Angus Kennedy).

A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Osprey and 2 Little Egret were at Lough Beg this evening, at least 4 Garganey were also still present. (Davy Hunter/David Steele).

Below are a couple of pictures of the Black Tern and thanks to Stephen Maxwell for the picture of two of the Curlew Sandpipers at Belfast WOW and to Cameron Moore for the pictures of the Whimbrel and the Sandwich Tern with the white ring nzr on its right leg and a metal ring on the left leg.

A Roseate Tern was at RSPB Belfast WOW on the planks at the east end (Gerard McGeehan)

A first-winter Med Gull with a yellow colour-ring was at East Strand, Portrush this morning. (Adam McClure).

An adult Osprey was fishing in Strand Lough, Killough at 4.30pm today. Also present: 15 Little Egrets, 2 Stock Doves, 3 Reed Warblers and a Kingfisher. Good numbers of waders in Killough Harbour, usual range of species including Golden Plover, Greenshank and Whimbrel. Sea watching at St John’s Point between 8am and 9am and 1pm and 3pm: continuous movement of Manx Shearwaters out of Dundrum, Bay peaking early afternoon at 5,000 per hour. Also 1 Great Skua, 3 Arctic Skuas and 1 Roseate Tern (Chris Murphy and Doris Noe).

Thanks to Derek Polley for the picture of Black-tailed Godwits from Belfast WOW reserve.

This Common Gull which I have named 'Stumps' is creating a bit of interest amongst some of my Blog followers.
I was able to obtain a partial number on it's ring and it appears to match a series used on Copeland Island in 2010, in which case the gull was probably ringed as chick. I first spotted the bird in July, but it flew off before I could get any photos. I re-sighted this gull on Saturday (13th) at the same location in Millisle and was able to get these photos. The gull appears to be getting along quite well, despite losing both feet.

Over the weekend Copeland Bird Observatory had 3000 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 7 Arctic Skuas, 7 Great Skuas, 2 Puffins, 13 Storm Petrels, a Buzzard, a Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk. The only passerine migrants were a few Willow Warblers, a Whitethroat, the first Robins coming in to set up autumn/winter territories and the first Goldcrest of the autumn. (Chris Acheson).

A Long-eared Owl was at Castle Espie this morning, see picture below. (Toni Castello).

Yesterday a Long-eared Owl flew in to a garden in Castlerock (Mervyn Guthrie)

American waders continue to turn up down south with a Solitary Sandpiper and Least Sandpiper now in Co Clare. Also a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, was at Portnoo, Co Donegal, near the sixth hole at Portnoo and Narin Golf Course, Castle Goland Strand (Birdguides)

Thanks to Linda Thompson for the pic of the Wheatear and Stuart McKee for this pic of a Peregrine at Myroe (feeding on a Golden Plover):

7 Ruff where at the RSPB Belfast Harbour reserve.(Oscar Campbell/Garry Armstrong) The reserve is worth keeping an eye open over the next few weeks, quite a few American waders recorded in Southern Ireland this week-end so you never know....

A Short-eared Owl was seen at Bloody Bridge, Newcastle last night. (Jim Leitch)

A Kingfisher was at Moneypenny's Bridge, Portadown last night. (Paul Allen)

An Osprey was at the Roe Estuary, (Jeff Larkin / Stuart Mckee)

4 Brent Geese and a Wheatear were at Islandhill, CobDown (GerardMcGeehan)

A White-tailed Eagle flew westwards over the Erne near Killyhevlin this afternoon (Robert Scott).Thanks to Linda Thompson for the picture of the Herring Gull with its lunch.

A Little Gull was at Sandy Bay, Larne (Neal Warnock)The 2 Little Stints where still present at Myroe Levels,Co.L'derry up until noon when they flew off. (David Hill)see pic below.8 Whimbrel were off the Gobbins, Islandmagee. (Ian Enlander)

An Osprey was at Lough Beg this evening, fairly quiet otherwise but a Whimbrel flew south (David Steele)

The Forsters Tern has returned to Soldiers Point, Co Louth (Louth Bird News)

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This site is run by a voluntary group of birders documenting and recording information about the birds and wildlife of Northern Ireland. We provide information on rarities and interesting sightings. The sightings on this blog are not accepted records - rarities need to be confirmed, see https://nirbc.blogspot.co.uk/